


Peppermint and a Mistletoe Kiss

by numba1fangirl



Series: Holiday Spirit [3]
Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Christmas, Fluff, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-30
Updated: 2018-03-30
Packaged: 2019-04-15 02:20:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,632
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14149824
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/numba1fangirl/pseuds/numba1fangirl
Summary: “Yes he does,” Joanna said. “He loves you.”“I know he loves me, Joanna, but just as a friend. You’ll understand when you’re older.”Joanna didn’t seem to like that answer. “Daddy wants to date you and I’ll prove it.”Or the one in which Bones loves Jim and Joanna knows it.





	Peppermint and a Mistletoe Kiss

**Author's Note:**

> So I know this is waaay after Christmas and therefore really really overdue, but enjoy some Christmas fluff :)

It was the 23rd of December, just two days after they’d gotten home from spending Chanukah with Sam and Aurelan, and Jim and Spock were already on a transport again, this time on their way to spend Christmas with Bones and his daughter.

Jim was particularly excited because this would be his first time ever celebrating Christmas and he was always eager for new experiences. Spock had never celebrated it before either, but had done his research and was eager (or as eager as a Vulcan could get) to express his opinion of finding Santa illogical.

“…and setting aside the idea of flying reindeer,” Spock continued after an entire transport ride on the topic of Santa, “I still do not understand what he has to do with the Christ figure the holiday was founded for, however.”

“As far as I know, nothing,” Jim said. “But I’m not the expert.”

* * *

 

When the door opened, Jim was hit in the knees by a speeding streak of blonde hair.

“Uncle Jim! Uncle Jim!” Joanna shouted. “I’m so happy you’re here for Christmas with me and Daddy!”

“I’m happy to be here, too, Squirt,” Jim said, kneeling down to give her a proper hug. “And there’s someone I want you to meet. This is Spock. He’s very special to me.”

Joanna stood on Jim’s knee and leaned over his shoulder to get a better look out the doorway where Spock was standing.

“Careful, Joanna,” her father warned. “That’s Uncle Jim, not a jungle gym.”

Jim laughed. “Don’t worry. I’ve got her, Bones.”

“You have pointed ears,” Joanna said to Spock. “Are you a Bulcan?”

“It’s pronounced ‘Vulcan’,” Spock corrected.

“I’ve never met a Bulcan before.”

“Vulcan.”

“Do Bulcans like Christmas?”

“Vulcans generally do not. I, however, am half human and have encountered the holiday on many occasions.”

“Did you bring me a present?”

_“Joanna,”_ Bones scolded. Jim just laughed and Spock looked unfazed.

“Don’t worry, Joanna,” Jim assured her. “We brought you presents.”

“Alright, let’s let Uncle Jim and Spock settle in and you can ask them about your presents later,” Bones said. “You won’t get them ‘til Christmas morning anyway.”

* * *

That night they all squished on the couch to watch one of Joanna’s favorite Christmas movies: _How the Grinch Stole Christmas_. Of course Joanna wanted Leonard to sing along with her to every single song, to which he begrudgingly agreed. He just couldn’t say no to that little angel. Jim sang along a lot more enthusiastically, though he didn’t know any of the words. Leonard couldn’t help but find that adorable. Spock said it was illogical to sing without knowing the words, but he joined in whenever the chorus came back around. No one was exempt from the sing-along in Joanna’s eyes.

“Let’s watch another one!” Joanna shouted excitedly when it was over.

“Sorry, darlin’ but it’s just about bedtime,” Leonard replied.

Joanna jutted out her lip in a pout. “Please, daddy?”

“Aw come on, Bones, don’t be a Grinch,” Jim said.

Leonard shot him a look. “A Grinch, am I? Alright, fine. One more. But it’s gotta be _A Charlie Brown Christmas_ because that one’s _my_ favorite.”

“Thank you, Daddy!” Joanna said, giving him a hug.

“More popcorn?” Jim clapped Leonard on the shoulder as he stood up to get it. Leonard would never admit that even the brief contact with Jim sent tingles down his spine. God, he had it bad.

* * *

 

The next morning, Jim was playing checkers with Joanna and Spock decided to watch. However, the longer the game went on, the more Spock was confused by Jim’s playing. If he wasn’t mistaken, Jim was losing on purpose.

“I can’t believe you beat me!” Jim exclaimed as Joanna took his last piece.

“I find it difficult to believe as well,” Spock said.

“I guess Joanna just outsmarted me,” Jim said with a grin.

“Doubtful.”

“Spock!” Jim kicked him under the table. “Of course she did!”

Joanna looked at Spock with disapproval. “I always beat Uncle Jim at checkers.”

Spock looked skeptical. “Indeed.”

Joanna pursed her lips. “Uncle Jim, if you like dating boys, how come you don’t date Daddy?”

Jim looked startled at Joanna’s abrupt change of subject and Spock’s heart almost stopped in anticipation of his answer.

“ _Joanna_ ,” Jim scolded. “You’re being rude to Spock. And I don’t think your daddy wants to date me.”

That answer wasn’t quite the one Spock wanted, though he’d never admit how much it bothered him.

“Yes he does,” Joanna said. “He loves you.”

“I know he loves me, Joanna, but just as a friend. You’ll understand when you’re older.”

Joanna didn’t seem to like that answer. “Daddy wants to date you and I’ll prove it.” And with that she got up from the table and ran off.

Spock had never felt jealousy before, but he was pretty sure this was it.

* * *

 

Sometime that afternoon, there was a knock on the door. Jim and Bones both got up to get it, but since Bones was in the middle of reading to Joanna, Jim insisted he sit back down.

“I’ll get it, Bones, it’s okay,” Jim told him. When he opened the door, he was never more delighted to see a group of strangers in his life. “Oh my God! Carolers!”

Joanna’s face lit up and she ran to the door as the carolers began to sing “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing”.

“Carolers?” Spock asked. “That is something I am unfamiliar with.”

“They come door to door and sing Christmas carols,” Bones explained.

They all fell silent to listen to the rest of the song. When the carolers were finished, they parted with a “Merry Christmas” as they shuffled away from the door.

“I’ve never celebrated Christmas, but I get carolers at my house every year,” Jim said. “I suppose since nobody celebrates Christmas on Vulcan that’s why you’ve never heard of them, Spock.”

“Indeed,” Spock agreed. “I did find their singing quite soothing, however. The melody was very pleasing.”

Jim lifted two of his fingers which were met with two of Spock’s and he smiled at the electric feeling that ran up his arm. With his other hand, he pulled Spock in for a quick peck on the lips.

“Let’s go finish our game of chess,” he said. As he turned toward the chess board, he caught a funny look on Bones’s face, but it was quickly hidden with the book he was reading to Joanna. Jim couldn’t help but remember the conversation he’d had over checkers that morning.

* * *

 

“Dinner’s ready!” Leonard called. Jim, Spock, and Joanna made their way into the dining room. Leonard would never admit it, but he was pretty nervous. He’d been working on this meal for hours and he wanted it to be well received.

Jim had a wary look on his face. “Is that real ham?”

“No, Jim, it’s replicated,” Leonard answered. “I know you and Spock don’t eat the real stuff. Everything else is made from scratch though.”

“It’s beautiful, Bones,” Jim said, clapping a hand on his shoulder. There went those damn tingles again, running through his body.

“The ham isn’t real this year, Daddy?” Joanna asked, her brow furrowed and her lips pouted.

“Uncle Jim and Spock don’t eat real ham,” Len told her. “But don’t worry; replicated ham is good, too.”

Joanna looked skeptical, but she sat down next to her father anyway. But when Spock went to sit down across from Leonard, she suddenly got angry.

“No!” Joanna declared. “Uncle Jim has to sit there!”

Leonard was startled by this reaction and Spock, to Leonard’s amazement, actually looked hurt.

“Joanna,” he told her, “apologize to Spock. He’s our guest, he can sit where he likes.”

“But I want Uncle Jim to sit by you,” Joanna pouted.

“Then you can ask him politely to switch spots, but you will not order him around. Now apologize to Spock.”

“But—”

“Joanna, if you argue with me one more time, I’m sending you to bed after dinner with no dessert. And don’t forget, Santa can still decide not to come.”

Joanna gasped and then turned to Spock. “I’m sorry,” she grumbled.

“Good. Now let’s all say grace before we eat.”

* * *

 

That night they watched _Santa Claus Is Coming to Town_ and sucked on candy canes. Joanna was fast asleep by the time it was over.

After carrying Joanna to bed, Leonard was on his way back to the living room when he ran into Jim at the entrance to the hallway, still sucking on a candy cane.

“Is she all tucked in?” Jim asked.

“Sleeping like a baby,” Leonard replied. “God, she’s growing up so fast.”

“It’s okay, Bones. You’ve got her now. It might go by fast, but you won’t miss a thing.”

“Thanks, Jim.”

“That’s what I’m here for, Bones,” he said, then he looked up and laughed. “Looks like we got caught under the mistletoe.”

Leonard could feel himself blushing. “Jim we don’t... I mean we don’t _have_ to–”

“Nonsense, Bones, it’s a holiday tradition.” Jim leaned in and kissed Leonard on the cheek. He could smell the peppermint in Jim’s breath as he leaned in. He was sure his face was burning, but he couldn’t control it. He wanted to say something, to move his head just a little to the left and catch Jim’s lips with his own, but of course he didn’t. The feeling of Jim’s lips on his cheek was all too short.

“Goodnight, Bones.”

“Night, Jim,” he managed to say. Spock came towards them then, and the look on his face was enough to keep Leonard from ever saying more.

* * *

 

“Jim, may I speak to you?”

“Of course,” Jim said, closing the door to the guest room they were staying in. “What’s up?”  


Spock would never admit it, but he had to take a second to calm his nerves before continuing. “I am becoming concerned about your relationship with Leonard.”

Jim frowned. “What about it?”

“When Joanna made comments about her father’s affection for you, you only denied his feelings, not your own. Furthermore, after observing Leonard, her assessment of his feelings appears to be correct. With this in mind, I trust you can understand why you giving him a kiss under the mistletoe might cause me some distress.”

Jim looked dumbfounded. Spock had never seen him taken so completely by surprise before. “Spock,” he said. “Bones doesn’t want to date me. And if I ever wanted to date someone else, I wouldn’t do it without talking to you first. We’ve talked about this. You know I’m polyamorous. Are you sure that doesn’t bother you?”

“I will admit, I may struggle with jealousy. However, this talk was only meant to ensure nothing was happening without my knowledge.”

Jim looked hurt. “Spock, don’t you trust me?”

“Of course I trust you, Ashayam,” Spock assured him. “But I am... afraid.”

“Afraid of what? Losing me? Spock, you will never ever lose me. Not for as long as I live.”

Spock nodded. “You will never lose me either.”

Jim placed a kiss on Spock’s cheek and stroked his hands. “I’m going to go get a glass of water. Do you want anything?”

Spock shook his head. Jim planted another kiss on his cheek and left the room.

* * *

 

Jim was so lost in thought on his way to the kitchen he almost didn’t notice Bones sitting alone in the living room.

“What are you still doing up, Jim?” he asked.

“Just getting a glass of water,” he answered, but instead of continuing to the kitchen, he sat down next to Bones on the couch. “What are you doing up?”

“Can’t sleep.”

Jim nodded in understanding. “You want to hear something crazy?”

“What?”

“Joanna and Spock are both totally convinced that you’re in love with me.”

Bones went very still and his face turned bright red. “Well that’s—” he cleared his throat, “I mean that’s just—”

“Wait,” Jim interrupted, “it’s not true is it?”

“No! Of course not!” Bones protested, but his face turned even redder.

“Oh my god it is.” Jim was in shock. How had he never noticed before? Bones was his best friend!

“Okay, it’s true,” he admitted. “Please, just, don’t let it ruin our friendship.”

“Of course it won’t, Bones. Is that why you never told me?”

“Well that and you started dating Spock. I didn’t want to get in the way of that.”

“Why should that stop you? You know I’m polyamorous.”

“I know. But most Vulcans are not.”

Jim nodded. “That’s a fair point. Listen, I have to go talk to Spock about this.”

“About what?”

“About dating you, silly.”

Bones looked utterly taken aback. “Are you serious?”

“Of course I’m serious. I’m going to go talk to Spock alone and then afterwards we can all talk about this together.”

* * *

 

Jim went back into his and Spock’s room, his mind reeling. Spock was finished changing and was just climbing into bed. “Spock, I need to talk to you.”

Spock looked concerned but nodded. “Of course, Jim.”

“I ran into Bones in the living room. You were right about his feelings for me.”

Spock looked unsurprised. “What are you going to do now?”

“I wanted to talk to you before I started dating him.”

Spock was quiet for a long moment. “I knew this would be a possibility when we started dating. Of course I want you to be happy.”

“Are you sure it doesn’t bother you?”

“I am willing to try.”

Jim crossed the room and took both of Spock’s hands in his. “Thank you, Spock. And this doesn’t change anything between us. You still mean just as much to me. I still love you just the same.”

Spock nodded. “I know, Ashayam.”

“Let’s go talk to Bones. There needs to be clear communication between all three of us.”

* * *

 

It had been a long night of discussing feelings and expectations and although Leonard went to bed happy, he also went to bed completely worn out. That didn’t stop Joanna from coming in at five in the morning though.

“Daddy! Daddy, it’s Christmas!” she squealed, leaping onto the bed and bouncing on top of him.

Leonard groaned. “Go wake up Uncle Jim and Spock and I’ll meet y’all in the living room.”

Joanna immediately disappeared out the door shouting, “Uncle Jim! Uncle Jim!”

Leonard rolled over and blinked at the ceiling. Half of him was still unsure if the conversation he’d had with Jim and Spock last night had actually happened or if it had just been a dream. There was only one way to be sure.

He sat up and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes before getting up and heading out into the hallway. It turned out that in that moment Jim and Spock were on their way out with Joanna.

“Leonard,” Spock said with a cordial nod.

“Mornin’, Spock,” Leonard replied. “Mornin’, Jim.”

“Morning, Bones,” Jim said sleepily. “Nice bed head.”

“You’re one to talk,” Leonard retorted. Jim’s hair looked like he’d been struck by lightning.

Jim laughed. “Touché.”

As they passed into the living room, Leonard found himself caught under the mistletoe with Jim again.

Jim grinned. “I can give you a proper one this time.”

Leonard’s heart pounded as Jim put his hands on his face and pulled him in for a kiss. Their lips met and the world stopped.

The sound of Joanna’s squeal of delight pulled them out of it.

“I told you! I told you!” Joanna shouted, tugging on Spock’s arm. “I told you Daddy loves Uncle Jim!”

Spock raised an eyebrow. “Indeed.”

“Let’s open presents,” Leonard suggested, uncomfortable with all the attention. Jim took his hand on the way to the couch. Spock sat down next to them and took Jim’s other hand.

Maybe it wasn’t a dream after all.


End file.
